Magistrate to visit Luzira over Besigye rights violation

Besigye arrives at Nakawa court for an earlier hearing. The Chief Magistrate Nakawa to visit Luzira prison to address Besigye’s complaints about the conditions he is being held. FILE PHOTO AFP

Nakawa Chief Magistrate Eremye Mawanda is to visit Luzira Prison after Besigye made a plea to court over abuse of his rights by the State in his treason case hearing on Wednesday morning .

The opposition stalwart challenged the state in court to adduce evidence of treason against him and accused them of deliberately frustrating his case by delaying justice. He accused the prison authorities of blocking his attempts to communicate with the outside world.

‘I am innocent until proven guilty,’ Besigye told court as he cited instances where his rights were violated, saying prison authorities were treating him like he was already convicted.

Chief Magistrate Eremye concurred with Besigye, saying the judiciary was concerned about his rights abuse and said he would visit Luzira prison next week, where Besigye is incarcerated, over the same.

He also urged the prosecution to expedite investigations into the case.

Recently, Chief Justice Bart Katureebe pledged that he would not allow the State interfere with Besigye’s treason case.

In May, when a bizarre video of Besigye being sworn-in made rounds on social media, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson told the media following the opposition chief’s arrest, that the footage could indeed have been doctored, but forensic investigations were ongoing to establish its source.

The former presidential flag bearer, who has been in jail since May, was arrested following, bizarrely, a video that circulated on social media showing him being sworn-in as president of the republic of Uganda in the aftermath of the February 18 general election.

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Besigye lost the election for the third time to his nemesis and incumbent Yoweri Museveni who garnered 61% of the vote cast. Opposition contested the outcome of the election; they went ahead to lose an electoral petition in the Supreme Court when all nine judges unanimously quashed it.

Besigye however was not part of the suit as he was under ‘preventive arrest’ by police at his home in Kasangati. He went on record that he did not concur with the outcome of the petition.